Beet-harvester.



PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907.

M GOODFELLOW BEBT BABY/ESTER; APPLICATION HLED FEB. 24.11966.

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PATBNTED DEC. 10, 1907..

No. 873,040. M. GOODPELLOW.

BEET HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1906.

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PATBNTED DEC. 10, 1907'.

M. GOODPBLLOW. v BBET HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILEDYFEB. 24, 1906.

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PATENTED DEGJO, 1907.

M GOODFELLOW BBET HARVESTBR.

AEPLIOATION FILED FEB. 24, 1906.

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No. 873,040. PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907. M. GOODFELLOW.

BEET HARVESTBR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MOORE GOODFELLOW, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOSEPH O. DYE,

OF GOLUMBUS, OHIO.

IBEET-HARVESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1907.

Application filed February 24, 1906. Serial No. 302,776.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MOORE GooDFELLoW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beet-Harvesters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to beet harvesters, being designed more particularly for use in connection with machines employed for the purpose of harvesting sugar beets. The invention has for its object to provide an efficient mechanism whereby the beets may be drawn or raised from the soil without injury and delivered in a condition and manner such as to facilitate their further handling,

the organization of the machine being such that it may be readily adjusted to existing conditions while at work, and will properly harvest the entire crop, Whatever the variations in size and distribution of thebeets may be. 7

To these ends my invention consists in certain novel features which I Will now proseed to describe, and will then particularly point out in the claims.

In the accompanylng drawings, Flgure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention in one form; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a plan view, illustrating the relations of the main and auxiliary frames; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of what is shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a side elevation, showing the relation of the auxiliary frame and elevators, and also a portion of the main frame; Fig. 6 is a plan view of what is shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of one section of the upper elevator; Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the same; Fig. 9 is a detail plan view of a portion of the lower elevator; and Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the same.

In the said drawings, 1 indicates the main frame, which is preferably constructed of a channel bar, bent to the desired shape, as shown, comprising the parallel side portions 2, forwardly converging portions 3 and a transverse front portion 4. The parallel side portions 2 are connected at their rear by parallel transverse members 5 and'6, also preferably of channel iron, as shown. The parallel side portions 2 of the frame support axle bearings 7, in which is mounted to rotate an axle 8, provided at its ends with ground wheels 9, on which the main frame is supported at its rear end. These ground Wheels are so connected to the axle as to rotate the same when the machine is moving forward, or only one of said wheels may be so connected, if desired, any of the well known constructions for this purpose being employed. At its front end, the main frame l-is supported on wheels 10, which serve as steering wheels, being controlled at will either by the tongue 11 or the hand lever 12, as set forth in Patent No. 852,020, granted to me April 30, 1907. 13 indicates the drivers seat, supported on the main frame toward the front thereof by means of an arch 14, which connects the lateral portions of said main frame and which is strengthened by braces 15.

Within the main frame 1 there is mounted an auxiliary frame 16, also preferably formed of a single channel bar, bent to the desired shape and forming two parallel side members 17, with a transverse connecting member 18 at the front end. This auxiliary frame is pivotally mounted on the axle 8 near its rear end, so that its front end is free to swing vertically immediately back of the front end of the main frame 1. The construction which I prefer for this purpose is that shown, in which 19 represents a bearing sleeve in the form of a horizontally divided casting, fitting loosely on the axle 8 and secured to the side members 17 of the auxiliary frame 16 near the rear ends thereof by means of bolts 20. At its forward end the auxiliary frame 16 is connected by means of pivoted links 21 to arms 22, secured on a shaft 23, mounted in' suitable bearings 24 on the main frame 1. The shaft 23 has secured thereon a toothed wheel 25, and a hand lever 26 is loosely mounted on said shaft adjacent to said toothed wheel, its lower end being preferably'bifurcated, as shown, so as to embrace said wheel. The lever 26 is provided with a spring-actuated pawl 27, arranged to engage the teeth of the wheel 25 said pawl being controlled by a rod 28, connected thereto at one end, the other end of said rod being connected to a pawl lever 29, mounted on the hand lever 26 near the handle thereof. 30 indicates a locking pawl, held normally in engagement with the teeth of the wheel 25 by means of a spring 31, to hold said wheel and the shaft 23 against movement. This pawl 30 is connected by a link 32with an arm 33 on one end of a rock shaft 34, mounted in suitable bearings 35 on the front cross member 4 of the main frame 1. This rock shaft is provided at its other end with a foot lever 36, arranged within convenient reach of the drivers foot when the latter occupies the seat 13. the hand lever 26 the shaft 23 may be so rotated as to raise and lower the front end of the auxiliary frame 16 through the medium of the arms 22 and links 21. The -lo'cking pawl 30 will hold said auxiliary frame in any position to which it may be thus adjusted.

Furthermore, the construction just described is advantageous because it gives a relatively fgTreat range of vertical movement to the ont end of the auxiliary frame without requiring a correspondingly great arc of movement of the controlling hand lever 26. This arises from the fact that, assuming the auxiliary frame to be in its lowest position, a convenient extent of movement of the hand lever will partly raise the frame, the locking pawl being held out of engagement during this operation by the foot lever. Thelocking pawl may then be allowed to engage the toothed wheel, whereupon the hand lever may be disconnected. from said. wheel and swung forward to again engage the same for a repetition of the lifting movement, which may be repeated-as often as necessary. A reversal of these operations effectsa gradual lowering of the auxiliary frame, and, by reason of this construction, the frame can be readily raised and lowered throughout a wide range of movement by a succession of relatively limited movements of the lifting lever.

A very material advantage due to this construction is that the leverage may be so arranged that the relatively great weight of the.

auxiliary frame and the parts supported. thereby can be readily handled by a single operator.

The auxiliary frame 16 supports the pulling devices, which, from their engagement with the soil, tend to impart a somewhat severe strain in a rearward direction to the auxiliary frame, and, to effectually resist this strain, relieving the axle 8 therefrom, I employ at the rear-ends of the lateral members 17 of the auxiliary frame abutment plates 37, formed on'or supported by brackets 38, bolted to the cross piece 5 of the main frame. These abutment plates have their front surfaces curved upon a radius of which the center of the axle 8 is the center, and each of the members 17 is provided with a thrust block 39, secured between the flanges of the chan nel bar of which said member is composed by means of bolts 40, and having its rear end rounded, as indicated at 41, to bear against the corresponding abutment plate 37.

The auxiliary frame 16 supports the pullers, by means of which the beets are raised from the soil, and also the elevators which It will be seen that by means of receive the beets from the pullers and carry them upward and rearward to the delivering mechanism. By reason of this construction, the raising and lowering of the supplemental frame also serves to raise and lower the pullers, to bring them clear of the soil during transportation of the machine, to move them into working relation to the soil when the machine is at work, and to adjust them while at work by controlling the depth in which they work relatively to the surface of the soil, while the elevators, being mounted on the same frame, are maintained in proper relation to the pullers and are adjusted along being reversely arranged and the cones being revolved 1n opposlte dlrections, thus causing the ribs on the adjacent sides of the two cones to engage the beet and lift the same from the ground.

I deem it desirable to provide means whereby the relations of the pullers 42 to the auxiliary frame 16 may be adjusted, and to that end the frame 46, which, is loosely suspended on the countershaft 47, has extending upward and forward therefrom at each side of its forward portion a standard or bar 56, which passes upward immediately inside of the corresponding side member 17 of the auxiliary frame 16. Each standard 56 passes between said member 17 and a clamping casting 57, recessed for the passage of the standard 56, and secured to the member 17 by clamping bolts 58, by means of which said clamping casting can be drawn against the upper end of the standard, to clamp the same firmly against the inner face of the member 17. It will be seen that, by reason of this construction, the forward end of the frame 46 may be raised orlowered for the urpose of regulating the position of the pu lers 42 relatively to the auxiliary frame 16, and that said frame 46 may be readily secured in position after adjustment.

In connection with the pullers I employ an elevating mechanism cooperating therewith, for carrying the beets rearward and upward from said pullers. This elevating mechanism comprises an upper and a lower elevator, moving in unison and carrying the beets between them. The lower elevator supports the beets from below and is fixedly positioned with respect to the pullers, with which it is simultaneously adjusted, while the upper elevator cooperates directly with the pullers both in lifting the beets from the soil and in carrying them rearward to the lower elevator, said upper elevatonbeing adjustable relatively to the pullers and lower elevator for the purpose of accommodating it to the varying working conditions. The general construction of these elevators is best illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, while the details are more particularly illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive. Referring first to the lower elevator, the same comprises two endless parallel sprocket chains 59, composed of links 60, connected at intervals by cross bars 61, which preferably form the pivots by means of which the links are connected. These sprocket chains, at their forward lower ends,

ass around guide Wheels or idle pulleys 62, lbcated immediately back of the pullers 42, as shown. These guide wheels are supported from brackets 63, mounted on the standards 56. The sprocket chains of the lowerele vator are driven by means of sprocket wheels 64, located near but somewhat in advance of the rear end of the lower elevator, these sprocket wheels being mounted on a shaft 65, one projecting end whereof carries a pinion 66, which meshes with a gear 67, secured on the main axle 8. By this means movement is imparted to the lower elevator, which latter extends horizontally rearward from the sprocket wheels 64, being supported by an idle roller 68. The return portion of the lower elevator is supported by idle wheels 69. The auxiliary frame 16 carries an elevator supporting frame comprising uprights 7 0, secured to the rear end of the auxiliary frame, and inclined braces 71, connecting the upper ends of said uprights with said auxiliary frame.

The shaft 65 is mounted in suitable bearings on the uprights 7 0, as are also the guide rollers 69, and the idle roller 68 is supported by having its bearings mounted on arms 72 extending rearwardly from the uprights 7 O and connected thereto by braces 73. The lower elevator comprises lateral guiding or retaining portions to prevent the lateral escape of the beets, these guiding portions be ing preferably composed of two ongitudinal members 74 and 75, and suitable connecting pieces 76. These lateral guides are connected at their forward ends to the standards 56, while their rear upper ends are supported from the uprights 7 O. y In order, however, to permit them to accommodate themselves to the adjustment of the frame 46 relatively to the frame 16, the upper ends of said guiding members are attached to the freely swinging lower ends of links 77, pivoted at their upper ends to the uprights 70, as indicated at 78. Lateral guards 79 extend along the rear horizontal portion of the elevator and serve to maintain the beets in position thereon during this portion of their course.

If desired, the roller 68 may be positively driven by means of a sprocket chain 68, passing around sprocket wheels 68 and 68 on the ends of the roller shaft and shaft 65 respectively.

The upper elevator also comprises two parallel moving endless sprocket chains, indicated at 80. These chains are composed of links 81, which, at suitable intervals, are connected by flexible-depending transverse members 82, preferably in the form of chains. These endless sprocket chains 80 pass around sprocket wheels 83, which are carried by a shaft 84, said shaft being mounted in the freely swinging forward lower ends of two parallel side members 85, which constitute the frame of the upper elevator. These side members 85 are pivotally mounted at their upper ends on a shaft 86, on which are mounted sprocket wheels 87, around which the sprocket chains 80 pass at their upper ends. The shaft 86 is mounted in suitable bearings on the uprights 7-0 and has one of its ends extended outward to receive a sprocket wheel 88, through the medium of which the shaft 86-is driven by means of a sprocket chain 89, said sprocket chain passing around the sprocket wheel 88 and also around a sprocket wheel 90 mounted on the main axle 8. Preferably, the sprocket wheel is formed in one piece with the gear wheel 67 by which the lower elevator isdriven.

The position of the upper elevator relatively to the adjustable, so that the lower forward end of said upper elevator, which extends over and at least as far forward as said pullers, may be raised and lowered so as to increase and decrease the distance between it and said pullers, said raising and lowering also increasing and decreasing the distance between the upper and lower elevators. To this end there is mounted on the forward portion of the auxiliary frame 16 a rock shaft 92, provided with an operating hand lever 93, looking quadrant 94, looking pawl 95, and pawloperating handle 96, connected with the pawl by a rod 97. The rock shaft 92 is provided with rearwardly extending arms 98, and these arms are connected by links 99 with the side members 85 of the frame of the upper elevator. It will therefore be seen that, by means of the hand lever 93, which is located in a convenient position adjacent to the drivers seat 13, the upper elevator may be readily raised or lowered relatively to the other parts supported by the auxiliary frame 16, and may be locked in adjusted position. v

The links 99 preferably have mounted thereon tensioning idlers 100, in the form of sprocket wheels which engage the sprocket chains 80.

Referring to. the operation of the machine in so far as it has now been described, it will pullers and lower elevator isbe observed that, when the machine is at work, it may be guided along the furrow so that the pullers 42 will travel on opposite sides thereof, and on opposite sides of the beets which are in said furrow. While the machine is being transported to and from the place where work is being done, or is being turned at the end of a furrow, the entire auxiliary frame 1 6 may be swung up into position such as to raise the pullers clear of the ground, the elevators moving with said frame and pullers, and said frame being readily raised and maintained in position by means of the hand lever 26 and foot lever 36. The pullers may be lowered to work at the desired depth by means of the same hand lever and foot lever, the auxiliary frame 16 being held locked in whatever position it is adjusted to by means of the locking pawl 30. While the machine is at work, said pullers may be raised or lowered to work at different depths below the surface of the soil, as varying circumstances may require, through the medium of the same hand lever 26 and foot lever 36, and, ordinarily, the elevators will maintain their positions with respect to the pullers throughout these adjustments.

It Will be understood, of course, that the separate adjustment of the frame 46 relatively to the auxiliary frame 16 determines in a general way the depth of the working, which is varied and controlled by the hand lever 26 in the manner already described. It will also be understood that the position of the up er elevator relatively to the pullers over wiiich it extends, and to the lower elevator, is controlled by the operator, according to the conditions to be met, through the hand lever 93, independently of the simul taneous vertical adjustment of the pullers and elevators through the adjustment of the auxiliary frame 16.

The machine being thus thoroughly under the control of the operator so as to enable him to pieet the working conditions, it will be understood that the pullers will seize the beets between them, and lifting them upward, will pull them out of the ground whatever their size may be. But the pullers, while ordinarily in themselves sufficient for the pulling of the beets from the ground, are aided in this operation by the upper elevator, whose flexible transverse members or cross pieces 82 hang down in the form of loops, which travel immediately above the pullers, as best illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. These flexible members or loops will engage with the bodies of the beets as they are lifted from the ground, catching under their enlarged upper ends in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, in which a beet just starting from the ground is shown at 101.

Since the elevators are speeded to travel somewhat faster than the rate of movement of the pullers relatively to the beets, these flexible members are of material assistance in actually pulling the beets from the ground, aiding therein the pullers. Furthermore, they serve as a positive preventive from the possibility of any tilting forward or crowding forward of the beets through the soil by the pullers.

One of the greatest difficulties experienced in all beet harvesters is their tendency to clog when the beets .are thus toppled over forward and pushed through the soil, and this difficulty is overcome by the provision which I have made, whereby the upper elevator is extended over the pullers and provided with means for positively engaging the beets and moving them upward and rearward. The fact that this means consists of a flexible or yielding member, such as a chain, renders its use practical, since rigid or non-yielding members engaging the beets at this point would so mar and injure them as to seriously reduce their value or render them worthless. After the beets are thus raised. clear of the ground, they are delivered by the combined action of the pullers and upper elevator upon the lower elevator 59, which receives them upon its comparatively rigid transverse members, upon which they are held against lateral escape by the lateral guiding or retaining portions provided for that purpose. At the same time, the depending flexible transverse members of the upper elevator positively prevent any slipping back of the beets upon the lower elevator and insure their uniform travel between the elevators without crowding or bunching. Moreover, it will be seen that the elevators are so constructed that they tend to further remove the soil from the beets, and the soil thus removed is free to drop through the lower elevator and be thus discharged. The horizontal extension of the rear upper end of the lower elevator causes it to diverge at this point from the upper elevator, thus forming a flaring or enlarged mouth for the elevators which prevents injury to the beets and avoids excessive contraction at this point by reason of the adjustment of the two elevators relatively to each other.

The beets may be discharged from the elevators upon any suitable device or receptacle, but, as .here shown, they are discharged directly from the elevators to the ground in the rear of the machine.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in thev art.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine such as described, the combination, with the pullers, of an elevator having overhanging flexible cross pieces 00- operating therewith, substantially as described.

2. In a machine such as described, the combination, with the pullers, of an elevator combined with an auxiliary elevator having flexible cross pieces cooperating with said pullers, substantially as described.

3. In a machine such as described, the combination, with the pullers, of an elevator and an auxiliary elevator having flexible cross pieces cooperating with said pullers, means to raise and lower said pullers and elevators in unison, and means to drive said pullers and elevators from the axle of the machine, substantially as described.

4. In a machine such as described, the combination, with pulling devices, of auxiliary devices cooperating therewith comprising a traveling elevator having overhanging flexible cross pieces, substantially as described.

5. In a machine such as described, the combination, with pulling devices, of auxiliary devices cooperating therewith comprising a pair of traveling elevators, the cross pieces of one of said elevators being flexible, substantially as described.

6. In a machine such as described, the combination, with pulling devices, of auxiliary devices cooperating therewith comprising a pair of traveling elevators, the cross pieces of one of said elevators being flexible, means to raise and lower said pulling and auxiliary devices in unison, and means to drive the same from the axle of the machine, substantially as described.

7. In a beet harvester, the combination, with the pullers, of an upwardly and rearwardly extending elevator, the lower front end whereof extends over said pullers, said elevator having flexible transverse members depending therefrom to engage the beets, aid in pulling them and prevent their being pushed forward, and means for actuating said elevator, substantially as described.

8. In a beet harvester, the combination, with the pullers, of elevating mechanism cooperating with said pullers and comprising two upwardly and rearwardly extending elevators, the lower'front end of the upper elevator extending over said pullers, the lower front end of the lower elevator being located immediately in the rear of said pullers, one of said elevators having flexible transverse members adapted to engage the beets and means for actuating said elevators, substantially as described.

9. In a beet harvester, the combination, with the pullers, of elevating mechanism 00- operating with said pullers and comprising two upwardly and rearwardly extending elevators, the lower front end of the upper elevator extending over said pullers, the lower front end of the lower elevator being located immediately in the rear of said pullers, and

tor having substantially rigid transverse means for actuating said elevators, said upper elevator having flexible transverse members depending therefrom to'engage the beets, aid in pulling them and prevent their being pushed or sliding forward, substantially as described.

10. In a beet harvester, the combination, with the pullers, of elevating mechanism cooperating with said pullers and comprising two upwardly and rearwardly extending elevators, the lower front end of the upper elevator extending over said pullers, the lower front end of the lower elevator being located immediately in the rear of said pullers, and means for actuating said elevators, said upper elevator having flexible transverse members depending therefrom to engage the beets, aid in pulling them and prevent their being pushed or sliding forward, said lower elevamembers with intermediate open spaces, substantially as described.

11. In a beet harvester, the combination, with the pullers, of an upwardly and rearwardly extending elevator, the lower front end whereof extends over said pullers, means for adjusting said elevator toward and from said pullers, and means for actuating said elevator, said elevator having flexible trans verse members dependin therefrom to en gage the beets, aid in pul ing them and prevent their being pushed forward, substantially as described.

12. In a beet harvester, the combination, with the pullers, of elevating mechanism 00- operating with said pullers and comprising two upwardly and rearwardly extending elevators, the lower front end of the upper elevator extending over said pullers, the lower front end of the lower elevator being located immediately in the rear of said pullers, v means for actuating said elevators, flexible transverse members on one of said elevators and means for adjusting the elevator having such flexible transverse members toward and from the pullers and the other elevator, substantially as described.

13. In a beet harvester, the combination, with the pullers, of elevating mechanism cooperating with said pullers and comprising two upwardly and rearwardly extending elevators, the lower elevator having its front end located immediately in the rear of the pullers, comprising substantially rigid transverse members, and having lateral uiding and retaining portions, the upper elevator extending forward over said pullers and having flexible transverse members depending therefrom to en age the beets, and means for actuating said e evators, substantially as described.

14. In a beet harvester, the combination, with the pullers, of elevating mechanism cooperating with said pullers and comprising two upwardly and rearwardly extending elevators, the lower elevator having its front end located immediately in the rear of the pullers, comprising substantially rigid transverse members, and having lateral guiding and retaining portions, the upper elevator extending forward over said pullers and having flexible transverse members depending therefrom to engage the beets, and means for raising and lowering the upper elevator, substantially as described.

15. In a beet harvester, the oombination, with the pullers, of elevating mechanism cooperating with said pullers and comprising two superposed upwardly and rearwardly extending elevators, the lower front end of the upper elevator extending over said pullers, the lower front end of the lower elevator being located immediately in the rear of the said pullers, and the upper end of said lower elevator being deflected horizontally to cause it to diverge from the upper end of the upper elevator, substantially as described.

16. In a machine of the character described, an elevator comprising longitudinally traveling members and flexible trans verse members extending between said traveling members, substantially as described.

17. An elevating mechanism comprising I an elevator, and an auxiliary elevator cooperating therewith and provided with flexible transverse members, substantially as described.

18. An elevating mechanism comprising an elevator, an auxiliary elevator cooperating therewith and having flexible transverse members, and means for raising and lowering said elevators in unison, substantially as described.

19. An elevating mechanism comprising a pair of traveling elevators, the transverse members of one of said elevators being flexible, substantially as described.

20. An elevating mechanism, comprising an elevator having rigid transverse members, and an auxiliary cooperating elevator having flexible transverse members, substantially as described.

21. An elevating mechanism, comprising an elevator, an auxiliary elevator cooperating therewith and having flexible transverse members, means forv raising and lowering said elevators in unison, and means for adjusting said elevators relatively one to the other, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MOORE GOODFELLOVV. Witnesses:

E. O. HAGAN, HARRIET L. HAMMAKER. 

